HCM City has exhorted businesses to ensure food safety, increase supply of goods and keep prices steady during the Tết (Lunar New Year) festive season in mid-February. VNS Photo Văn Châu

HCM CITY — Food companies in HCM City have enough stocks to meet demand during Tết in mid-February, Triệu Đỗ Hồng Phước, head of the HCM City People’s Council's Committee for Economy and Budget, has said.

Authorities have stepped up inspection of food sold at wholesale markets to ensure safety during the festival, he said.

Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, head of the city Food Safety Management Board, said the board would closely monitor food production, processing, distribution, and import-export establishments.

This year it plans to set up 20 teams of inspectors to check 8,187 establishments besides carrying out surprise inspections of those suspected of violating safety and hygiene regulations.

A delegation from the People's Council’s Social and Cultural Committee will inspect food and agricultural products at wholesale markets such as Bình Điền, Bình Tây and Bình Tiên.

Cao Văn Thành, deputy head of the Bình Tây Wholesale Market management, said the market administration is seeking to raise tenants’ awareness of food safety and hygiene requirements.

Those inspector teams has already inspected the Hóc Môn Wholesale Market in the namesake district and some markets in District 11.

Lê Văn Tiển, deputy director of the Hóc Môn Market Management and Trade Company, said his market was one of the first two in the city to pilot a safe food model.

“Supervision of the quality of food products is done regularly and diligently.”

The city People’s Committee has also called on businesses participating in the annual price stabilisation programme to increase supply this year.

Those taking part help keep the prices of 10 groups of items steady, including rice, instant and dried noodles, RE and RS sugars, cooking oil, cattle meat, poultry meat, poultry eggs, processed foods, vegetables, seafood, and spices.

Their prices are 5-10 per cent lower than market rates.

Saigon Co.op’s multiple retail chains have already begun Tết sales so that customers can buy most of the items now and buy only fresh produce close to the New Year, which falls in mid-February.

Nguyễn Vũ Toàn, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said they have stockpiled nearly VNĐ4.9 trillion (US$212.3 million) worth of goods for Tết, a 20 per cent increase from last year. The co-operative would increase quality inspections of its supermarkets 10-fold over normal months, he added.

Saigon Trading Group (Satra) is sourcing over 2.4 tonnes of items like rice, processed foodstuff and pork for supply during Tết, a 63 per cent increase over a normal month.

Nguyễn Phúc Khoa, its deputy general director, said the company pays close attention to food safety and origin.

Pork prices have stabilised due to the country’s efforts to increase the number pigs and import frozen pork, and Satra and its subsidiaries would supply a large number of new products such as seasoned meat and spring rolls during Tết, he said.

Retailers plan to increase the number of cash counters and take other steps to ensure convenience and safety for customers during the peak shopping season.

They will also offer home delivery and sell ancestral offering packs, which used to be traditionally prepared at home during Tết.

They will make sales trips to remote areas. — VNS